9 classic books to nurture festive mood

I’ve managed to prepare everything, and it’s a win-win. I have a checklist and I’ll be in time striking out every task day by day. I even managed to leave some time for holiday reading. The only thing left is to find a Christmas book to read. Classics fit perfectly for such a traditional holiday. NO, not A Christmas Carol again! It’s already been read to pieces. So I went to my all-time-favorite source of information on bookish topics (Bustle.com) and HOORAY! I found the article that matched perfectly to my request.

Anticipating your same need, I will share a list of adult Christmas books to every taste and I have another one special post for you on the topic of Christmas gifts. Don’t call me a savior, it’s the least I can do.

I say it’s my fave tale for all the times. The story is fun and mystery blended in a magical cocktail and is suitable for both kids and adults. I’m from Ukraine so this book speaks volumes to me as it’s not just a tale of high morality but the guide to ethnic traditions. The story describes human nature of those times at its best as all Gogol’s works do.

Monsieur Hercule Poirot is again in business. The ingenious detective will investigate not one but five crimes to our greatest pleasure. The story is “a holiday treat for mystery fans and festive readers alike.”

I was obsessed with Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories when I was a kid. Sherlock Holmes was my first book-boyfriend so you can understand what impact these books made for me. Most of the stories left a mild imprint of remembrance, but the story of a blue carbuncle left a steady mark in my mind. An excellent mind-breaker for cold evenings with hot cocoa near the fireplace.

Here ends the list of Christmas books I know. But don’t rush away as the next books could provide mystery not only for me but you as well. I’ll definitely read a couple of them this Christmas.

This novel from the celebrated author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe may only be 14 years old, but it was an instant classic for this reader. A Redbird Christmas is a heartwarming tale about one dying man’s journey home to a forgotten corner of Alabama for what may be his last holiday there.

While it may *technically* be a children’s story, Louisa May Alcott’s classic is a moving work of timeless literature adults of all ages can get lost during the holiday season. A heart-warming tale of sisterhood, love, and growing up, Little Women features one of the most iconic Christmas scenes in the book world, a beloved family every reader has dreamed of spending the holiday with.

If you’ve ever dreamed of spending the holidays in Camelot, your Christmas wish can come true with Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, an anonymously written story about a mysterious knight, his violent challenge, and the one member of King Arthur’s court who was willing to face him: Sir Gawain. While there may be dozens of translations, including J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1979 retelling, Michael Morpurgo, and Michael Forman’s picture book adaptation, but my favorite translation comes from Simon Armitage whose 2008 version transforms one of the earliest Yuletide tales into an imaginative and festive narrative true literature buffs will love.

Speaking of dead animals, James Kirkwood’s uproarious holiday novel about a struggling actor who is dumped by his girlfriend, mourning the loss of his recently deceased cat, and feeling more depressed than ever when his apartment is cat burgled by a gay man who makes him question everything he thought he knew about himself and his sexuality is the kind of dark comedy that will cheer up any lonely reader this Christmas. P.S. Your Cat Is Dead is a friendly holiday reminder that no matter how stressful your Christmas is, it could always, always get worse and that it will get better.

Not everyone feels warm and tingly around the holidays, but even if you’re a Christmas-hater, there is still a festive book for you: Stephen King’s Pet Cemetery. Though the terrifying tale is usually considered a horror classic, not a traditional holiday story, King’s frightening story about demonic animals that return from the dead does have a Christmas setting. Leave it to the Master of Horror to remind you that no matter what time of year it is, no one is ever really safe.

In this slim classic, author Truman Capote shares his most beloved, not to mention heartwarming, childhood Christmas memories with readers in a short but enchanting story about tradition and family. A beautiful and festive book, A Christmas Memory is the kind of story readers will want to read again and again all holiday season long.

No matter how picky you are, I hope you’ll enjoy at least one of the suggested books because Christmas is the time for touching stories and heart-warming moments to share with family and friends. Drink this holiday to the last drop and carry its kindness for the whole 2018.